pull me in, hold me tight (don’t let go)
by softiesharpie
Summary: Sara is backstage getting ready for her ballet performance and she can't help but be nervous about it. Luckily, Ava's there to reassure her. This is set in the Punk!Ava and Ballerina!Sara universe.


"Baby, look at me."

Sara frowned and looked up at Ava through the mirror.

She was waiting for it to be time for her to have her ballet performance. She could hear the crowd behind the curtains talking and it only made her more nervous.

She'd spent months practicing for this, dedicated several hours a week to practicing her routine. But, for some reason, she still felt like it wasn't enough. She was scared to disappoint the people who came to see her perform.

She was grateful that Ava could read her like a book and could tell exactly how she was feeling without her having to say anything.

It had always been like that. Ava once told her that it was because Sara's eyes were very expressive and that when Ava looked at them, she could instantly tell what she was feeling.

"It'll be okay... you've practiced your routine hundreds of times." Ava reassured her as she went to sit down next to Sara.

It was hard for Ava to see Sara like this, to see her doubting herself and her abilities. Sara had been practicing ballet for the majority of her life, it was her passion. She'd dedicated thousands of hours to it over the years, it was one of her favourite things to do.

Ava knew that Sara was incredibly talented. She didn't know how Sara did what she did — Sara once tried to teach her how to do a simple turn and Ava ended up tripping and falling.

She knew that Sara was ready for this performance, that she'd practiced enough and had everything memorized.

Despite knowing that, she still knew that Sara got insecure of herself sometimes. Sara always felt like she needed to please people, Ava noticed that when they first started dating. Sara always wanted to make Ava happy, always wanted to do anything to please her. Sara slowly got out of that mindset as they continued dating, Ava showing her that she didn't have to please people; that she could just be herself and that was enough.

Ava knew Sara knew that she didn't have to please people, but at the same time felt an obligation to when she did her performances, which Ava understood.

"I-I know I did. But... what if it wasn't enough?" Sara said softly, continuing to look at Ava through the mirror.

Her anxiety and insecurities formed a pit in her stomach and she felt sick. She always got like this before she went on stage. Despite how many hours she spent practicing or how well she thought she'd do earlier that day, the second she got backstage she always panicked. She'd always only be able to think about everything that could possibly go wrong and how she could mess up or ruin it.

"It was." Ava said confidently, taking Sara's hand. "You practice everyday... I'm pretty sure you could do your routine in your sleep. You know it."

"Yeah... but," Sara bit her lip, "what if I forget or... or mess up? What if I mess it all up?"

"If that happens, which I'm sure it won't," Ava squeezed her hand, "then you'll be able to practice more at home and go perform again in a couple weeks."

Sara nodded. She was trying her best not to get herself to anxious, she knew she'd start crying if she did and ruin her makeup.

"I..." Sara's voice cracked and she looked down, "I don't wanna let anyone down..." she whispered quietly.

Ava nodded. "I know." She said and brought Sara's hand up to her lips, kissing it gently. "And you won't. You're an amazing ballet dancer, Sara. The best one I know." She grinned and winked.

Ava knew that Sara seeing her so genuinely confident in her would help her see that everything was going to be okay.

Sara blushed and giggled. "I'm the only one you know."

"Yes, but you're still amazing. I can see that and so will everyone else." Ava smiled reassuringly at her.

Sara finally smiled. "I wanna hug you but I'll get makeup all over you if I do." She said and giggled again.

Ava shook her head. "I don't care. Come here."

She stood up and Sara quickly did the same, wrapping her arms around Ava to hug her tightly. Ava held her back, her chin resting against Sara's head. "You can do this, baby." Ava whispered and smiled. "I know it."

Sara smiled, feeling the confidence she'd had earlier that day start to come back. "I can do this." She repeated and pulled away, looking up at Ava.

Ava smiled back, "yes, you can."

Love reflected in Sara's eyes as she looked at Ava, a bright smile on her face. "How do you always know the perfect thing to say?"

It was Ava's turn to blush, ducking her head with a quiet chuckle. She still, even after all this time of dating Sara, wasn't used to the little compliments like this, the seemingly random ones that caught her off guard.

"I love you, Avey." Sara said, seeing Ava's eyes soften at those words.

Ava pulled Sara in for another hug, knowing that makeup now stained her black leather jacket, but she couldn't care less.

"I love you too, honey." Ava smiled and leaned down to kiss Sara's cheek, avoiding her lips so she wouldn't smear her makeup.

Sara had spent too many hours in there doing her makeup and hair for it to be ruined right before she went on stage.

"Break a leg... but not literally." Ava said and smiled, Sara grinning back at her.

"Thanks... you'll be in the audience, right?" Sara suddenly looked shy, almost like she was embarrassed to ask that.

Ava nodded, "of course. And when you're done, I'll be back here waiting for you."

Sara only seemed to beam more, her eyes gleaming in the bright lighting of the room. "Okay, good."

It was time for Sara to go on stage and when she saw Ava in the audience looking at her with so much pride in her eyes, she felt the little bit of insecurity that was still left disappear.


End file.
